Duty
by FireAngel23
Summary: AU. When Ginevra Weasley is chosen to carry the heir of the Emperor, she is told that no love is involved. But, what will she do, despite her anger before, when she does falls in love? Anon Reviews now accepted.
1. Part I Chosen

**Disclaimer: **All things Potter are not mine, unfortunately.

A/N: This story is an Alternate Universe, AU, so if you don't like AU stories I suggest that you read and review this anyway. Also, you'll see that I don't use names a lot, I don't know why, I just didn't.

**DUTY**

_**Part I: Chosen.**_

She stood by the large balcony doors, her body shaking with fright. Of all the people that were in that room, he had to pick her like some punishment for _not_ wanting to be picked like the other girls had. Some would say that she should feel privileged at being chosen by the Emperor to carry his heir, but she begged to differ.

The woman jumped as she heard the bedroom door shut with a loud bang, and she turned slowly, coming face-to-face with the Emperor. She was so frightened that she forgot to bow.

"Tell me your name, woman," he muttered, his deep-blue eyes boring into her brown ones.

"G-Ginevra," she whispered, failing to make her voice any louder.

"Ginevra, don't even begin to think that this is some sort of fairytale, where you get to marry the prince in the end," he hissed, his handsome face twisted into an ugly sneer, "because that won't happen."

"Yes, s-sire," she said quietly, quite taken aback at what he just said; she did not want to marry him. All the while, she was trying her best not to look away from his piercing gaze.

"All this will be is sex, nothing more, nothing less, do you understand?"

"Yes, sire," she repeated.

"Good," he said bluntly, finishing that area of conversation. "Now, get undressed," he ordered.

What followed was not romantic or passionate, like he had hinted at. He took her virginity carelessly, not giving a damn about her as she cried on the inside, and broke to fit him. His thrusts had become almost unbearable toward the end, where he was desperate to reach his release, where she had cried out with his final deep thrust, and at which she was nearly torn apart.

Then he lay atop her, waiting for his essence to fill her, his breath coming out shallow in her ear. He gave a final gratified groan as the last of him filled her, and he pulled out of her swollen hotness to sit at the side of the bed. He ran a hand through his damp hair, causing it to stick up in some areas. He sneered as he looked over Ginevra, who had huddled herself into a foetal position, and was crying gently, her red hair standing out like blood on the black satin sheets.

The Emperor stood up, and poured himself a shot of whiskey, feeling slightly light-headed at how tight and hot she was. He knew she was a virgin the moment he had looked at her, standing shyly in the long line of women he had to choose from. She had a weak disposition, she was a weak physical being, but she was submissive, although scared to tears.

The girl was beautiful though, he would give her that, and she reminded him of a vixen, except she was not so feisty, which he preferred her not to be. It was why he had chosen her in the first place; it had been obvious that she would be weak and submissive.

Once he had finished his drink he pulled his black trousers on, and buttoned up his shirt, and with a final arrogant glance at Ginevra he threw his cloak around his shoulders, and before she knew it, he was gone.

He had left her to pick up the pieces of her shattered dignity, and she could hardly mourn the loss of her virginity with the horrid pain between her legs, she felt battered and bruised. And only one question went through her mind, why had he chosen her?



The next day, a woman came and woke Ginevra up, and told her that she was her personal maid. She also told her that she had to prepare her for that evening, "to please the Emperor."

Was he going to do this to her every night? She hoped not; because she was still in pain from the night before, how could she possibly lay underneath him again without crying out in pain?

"You must feel very honoured, miss," the maid said to her as she scrubbed Ginevra's back, "to do something such as this for the Emperor is such a privilege."

Ginevra rolled her eyes. If she thought it was so fantastic then why didn't she swap places with her, and have her beloved Emperor fucking her so hard that she would rip to pieces. "Oh, yes, it's simply grand," she answered in a sardonic voice. "I haven't seen my family for weeks, but other than that, it is great."

The maid seemed to not notice her tone of voice, because she did not press on the matter. Once the washing was over, the maid led her back into her room. "Sire says that he wants you dressed in the most elegant dress," she said in a happy voice, "he wants you to eat dinner with him."

"What? Why?"

"Well, miss, he does eat alone," the maid said in a hushed voice.



The Emperor waited patiently for the girl, who he presumed was getting made up. He liked the idea of her looking wonderful, and then looking ravaged after he had finished with her. He chuckled at that.

When Ginevra came, she curtsied and took her place at the other end of the table. Yes, he liked what she was wearing, a long, elegant black dress, which showed off her best asset, her cleavage, and her hair was done up in an elaborate bun. It wouldn't be when he was through with her.

"Eat, then," he said, as it looked like she was going to sit there and stare at the food instead.

She picked out a selection of meat and vegetables, and began to eat like she had been starved. Her wine glass was empty by the time she had ate all her vegetables.

"I trust you bathed this morning," he said suddenly.

"Yes," she said, glancing at him before she took another sip of her refilled wine.

"Because I'd rather not sleep with a tramp."

She stared at him and thought; _Well, I'd rather not sleep with you, but you can't have everything._

"Oh, yes I can, Ginevra," he said with amusement, "and I'll let that comment pass."

"What?" she said, confused.

"I can have everything," he said pointedly, "look around you, girl, I am the Emperor of most of the world, and I guarantee you that I can have anything I want."

He had listened to her thoughts! How could this be? She wondered, she could not even think nasty thoughts about him now.



Days passed, and he came to her each night. Sometimes he would take her twice after drinking some of his Firewhiskey, where she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Then days turned into weeks, when she realised that she would become impatient if he did not come at the usual time. As weeks turned into months, she learned to enjoy how he thrust into her, despite herself, and she had began to give him discreet little touches; whether it was the brush of her fingertips across his chest, or her lips lightly touching his shoulder.

Then she fell pregnant, and he visited her less; he had done what he had set out to do, and that was the end of it. Ginevra fell into a slight melancholy at being treated so carelessly, at being discarded once she had given him what he wanted.



_**End of Part I.**_

A/N: So, tell me what you think, review, because I like them.


	2. Part II Emotions

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews; I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

_**Part II: Emotions.**_

Ginevra stood hastily as she heard the bedroom door open, looking up hopefully, and once she saw him standing there, dressed in a finely tailored suit and cloak, and she curtsied to him and walked over to him, waiting for an explanation about why they were all dressed up.

One of the maids had told her that she had to wear the dress laid out for her; it was a black, halter-neck dress with oval shaped rhinestones on the straps. The empire waistline flattered her stomach rather nicely, she thought.

"Time to celebrate, Ginevra," he muttered, pulling her by her gloved hand. He sighed impatiently at her confused look. "To celebrate conceiving my heir. A long time coming."

"Oh…" she said as he pulled her down the halls, with no consideration of the fact that she was six months pregnant. She placed her free hand on her abdomen, breathing heavily, as they came to a halt in front of the ballroom doors.

He gave a sharp gesture with his hands, and the doors banged open, causing the people inside to jump with surprise and form a valley to the raised platform at the end of the room. He continued to pull her forward as the guests bowed and curtsied, and he simply looked over them with an air of complete arrogance. When they finally stopped, Ginevra just stared up at him as he announced something; she was too gladly engrossed at seeing how handsome he was with everyone bowing down to him.

Ginevra was soon brought out of it as she felt a firm hand touching her stomach. She looked down and saw the guests coming forward to touch the child, and bow again. She looked up at the Emperor again, wishing he would touch her there, yet he kept his haughty behaviour as a whole array of people touched his unborn heir, but he did notice that Ginevra was staring at him, and he simply ignored her.

When that weird experience was over, the Ball finally began, and, from her place on the platform, Ginevra watched as mostly everyone danced. Her seat was comfortable, but she truly wished to dance with the man sitting beside her, with the man who sat with a bored expression. Then he left her without a word of where he was going, and without a backward glance. She was tempted to go after him, but she supposed that he would become angry.

As the Ball wore on, she began to feel utterly neglected, and she could not see the Emperor anywhere. But, all the same, she forced a smile, and once she was sure no one was looking, she went and stood out on the terrace over looking the large and beautiful gardens. It was illuminated by some fireflies that were resting in random rhododendrons and hedges. Out of a sudden feeling of instinct, she turned around to observe the goings on inside, and she spotted him being slavered over by two lewd-looking girls, one with chestnut brown hair, and the other with dark blonde hair. Ginevra instantly felt a surge of jealousy as she saw a lurid grin cross his face at what they were saying.

He never smiled at her, not properly….

"Wokey!" she called softly and a sharp crackling noise followed her call. She turned to see the House Elf bowing with the tip of her long nose just touching the floor.

"What is miss wanting?" she said in a squeaky high-pitched voice.

"Wokey, is there another way to my room without being spotted? I'd rather go unseen."

"Wokey knows of passages to miss' room," she said with an eager nod. "Miss must follow Wokey."

Wokey had led Ginevra through a long passageway, which ended at the fireplace in her room. Now, she sat on her bed, waiting impatiently for the sound of footsteps. And she waited, and waited, and waited.

Then she heard footsteps, but they were accompanied by a set of giggles. Ginevra stiffened as they came closer; he was with a girl…. The sounds past her door and became faint, then dwindled to nothing. He did not even check to see if she was in her room.

Ginevra stood up and opened her door cautiously. She walked down the corridor toward his quarters. When she came close enough, she pressed her ear to the door, and what she heard made her rush quickly back to her bedroom.

She leant on her door as it shut, and looked down at her stomach, where the baby lay safely. He was making love to another…. She wiped a tear away from her cheek furiously, and cursed herself for crying over him.

Ginevra kicked her heels off, and walked barefoot to the floor-length mirror. There she stood, all dressed up, and looking her absolute best, yet he did no want to sleep with her, or touch her at all. She went over to the four-poster and huddled herself underneath the covers, and despite herself, she began to cry.

She missed his touches, she missed the way they moved together… she missed him. Not once had he placed an affectionate hand on her stomach, not even to acknowledge, at least, that his baby was there.



He lay in his grand bed, now alone, and thinking about how unsatisfying that fuck had been. The girl was a whore anyway, and what gratification could he get out of someone who had slept with half the population.

Then he remembered the pregnant girl. Ginevra had sneaked away, and he suddenly decided that he would punish her for it. He stood up and pulled on his trousers and shirt. That girl needed to learn how to behave. He left his chambers and strode into her room.

All he could see was a small figure lying under the bed covers; she was asleep, but he did not care. He shook her by the shoulders fiercely until she awoke with a gasp. "Get up, right now," he ordered, she swiftly obeyed upon hearing the scathing tone in his voice. "You never leave a Ball without me, do you understand?" he gripped her wrist and squeezed hard.

"Y-Yes, sire," she gasped out, "I'm s-sorry, I-I didn't know."

"Now, you do, and if it happens again, I'll break your wrist."

"Yes, sire," she whispered.

He smirked then, and stood behind her, running his hand over her bare back, and unhooking the straps on her dress, and pulling the bodice covering her breasts down slowly. "I'll tell you one thing, Ginevra," he muttered as he caressed her breasts, "these are perfect."

Ginevra gave a small blush at his comment, and stared down at his hands cupping her full breasts. He did the same, looking over her slender shoulder to watch his own actions. She winced as he squeezed her hard suddenly, then he let go of her. Ginevra pulled the bodice up, and held it up with one hand as she reached out to touch him. He visibly stiffened, but she continued with what she was going to say. "Sire, you are not leaving me now, are you?" she said with doe eyes. "I don't think I could handle another minute without you touching me."

He stared down at her eager face, beautiful and submissive once more as she waited anxiously for his answer. He had come to punish her severely, and yet he did not, and now she was offering sex to him on a platter as that whore had done. But, Ginevra was different, she was shy in her ways, she could never be a whore. And she was pregnant. Looking at her contemplatively, he wrenched her bodice down once more, and held her breasts, squeezing her there again as he kissed her fiercely.

It felt like something wild was beginning to possess him as he kissed in an incensed frenzy, and the last thing he heard before this wild thing took over was her impassioned moans….



When he had finished, the Emperor watched her body fall back onto the messy sheets and pillows, her dress almost in tatters, since he did not bother with removing those pieces of clothing. He had simply ripped off his shirt, and then her knickers, nearly breaking the zip on his trousers in his desperation.

She was breathing heavily, a slight smile on her face as he stood up and zipped up his trousers. That had been so much more satisfying then he had ever imagined. But, he left her all the same, and this time her dignity stayed intact, and the next morning, when she woke up, she was disappointed that he was not beside her, but as she dressed she replayed last nights events over and over again.

Later on in the day, she did wonder why he had obliged her request, but nothing could make her upset, not even the fact that she had not seen him for the whole day.



_**End of Part II.**_

**Wizzabee:** Thanks!

**IronBathToy: **No, it's not Draco.

**WooWoo:** You got it right, it is Tom, and he is meant to be a bastard

A/N: I have changed the Anonymous review thing, so you don't have to log in anymore, so plz plz review.


	3. Part III Rollercoaster

_**Part III:**_

_**Rollercoaster.**_

"Get up," he sneered as he entered her room, "how many times do I have to tell you?" She stood hastily, as he had ordered, and smoothed out the front of her dress, since she had recently discovered that he had an obsession with neatness, especially in her. He advanced on her dangerously, his handsome face twisted into a scowl. Ginevra placed a hand on her stomach protectively, and stared straight into his piercing blue eyes. "You are lucky that I am even visiting you," he said in a much calmer voice, "ungrateful girl."

She finally dropped her gaze, finding it unbearable to endure his icy stare, and his harsh words. It seemed like an eternity since he had slept with her, when it had only been 2 months before. "Thank you…" she muttered. No one could blame her really, she had become lonely; she ate breakfast alone, had lunch alone, ate dinner alone, and went to bed alone. All he needed her was for one thing. "I'm glad you remembered me," she said solemnly.

He smirked at how weak and dependent she was. "Well, you would be of no use to me if you shrivelled up and died, now, would you?"

"No, sire," she said, not bothering to tell him that the baby was kicking, for she knew that he would not care. She knew that he would cast a quick glance downward, and then raise his eyebrow at her as if to say that he couldn't care less.

"You would die if I forgot about you," he said surely, "because you are weak. Weak and foolish," he hissed.

"I try not to be, sire," she said, raising her head. She wondered why he bothered coming to her anyway if he just wanted to insult her. Ginevra watched him take his jacket off, and hoped that he would touch her, but she knew he would not. He had never been affectionate with her, and why should he? He had told her from the very beginning that there were no emotional ties in their union. But, she still could not understand how he could be so cold to her when she was going to have his heir, the heir that he had been desperate for. All the same, she clasped her hands in front of her, and waited anxiously for what he would do next. And she definitely knew what she wanted him to do next.

He suddenly laughed. "Look at you," he chuckled, "lusting after me still, even though you are nearing the end of your pregnancy." Ginevra sat back down, her legs beginning to ache as the baby moved about restlessly. She had forgotten that he was a Legilimens, though he was right, she had wanted him even more since she had gone into the last few months. "Your mind is weak also, Ginevra, you lay your thoughts bare to me."

"Yes, s-sire," she felt tears unexpectedly fill her eyes, he was always criticising her, and she found herself wondering why she loved him at all. "I am sorry," she said quietly.

"You're a woman, you are prone to these emotions," he said mockingly, "it's in your nature to be weak." He began to loosen his tie, and Ginevra wanted to know why he had come. It looked like he was making himself welcome.

Her heart filled with joy as he leant over her, his hand reaching toward her stomach. Ginevra smiled at him as he looked down, but she only felt the brush of his fingertips. She looked down to see him examining the green jewel on her dress. "You're a burden," he muttered, "you ask for far too much."

"I have not asked anything of you, sire," she said softly.

"You _want_ things, you _expect_ things, girl," he hissed vehemently. "You waste my time, do you think I _enjoy_ checking up on you?"

"No, sire," she whispered, unable to disguise the hurt in her voice. "I know the importance of your work… perhaps I would not be such a burden to you if you sent someone else to check on me." Ginevra kept her head down as she said this to him, and dared not to touch her stomach as the baby gave a gentle kick as if to soothe her.

"I know you would die without my presence," he said sharply, "you would die if your needs are not fulfilled," his tone changing to a softer one upon seeing her depressed looking expression. He did not want her to infect his heir with her sadness. Then he stood straight, and pulled his tie off, her eyes becoming wide as he unbuttoned his shirt.

She stood up, a shy look upon her face as they looked at each other. "Sire…" she said almost inaudibly, "I would not die, but, I would be sad at the thought of you abandoning me."

"Come here," he ordered, and she obeyed. Ginevra stared up at him, waiting for him, waiting patiently for his next command; anything he wanted, she would do. He had never had such loyalty, even from his pet snake. "Turn around," once she had done as he requested, he moved her waist-length hair over her shoulder as he undid the ties on her dress. Once it was removed, she stood only in her thin petticoat, and she turned to face him again. "Don't just stand there, take my trousers off."

"Oh… oh, yes, sire," she said hastily, "of course." She sat down, and almost fumbled with his belt out of happiness, she could not wait to feel him again. He looked down at her, his face blank as she unzipped his trousers. In a twisted sort of way, he admired her, no matter how badly he treated her; she would still obey and try to please him. He realised that she had finished, and now sat with her hands in her lap, her face turned up to look at him.

"How lusty you are…" he chortled, "I must say that it still amazes me that you still want me."

"I wouldn't let another man touch me, sire," she muttered, "I am only loyal to you."

"Then I think this reward is well-deserved…" he muttered, looking down at her heart-shaped face, and patting her on the head.

"My loyalty doesn't need to be rewarded, sire…" she whispered, "you don't need to buy my loyalty, I know you have to with some of the others, but they are weaker than I."

"And yet you do not bear my mark…" he said quietly into her ear.

"I should like to," she murmured, placing her hand on her stomach, "but I think the baby is better than the mark."

"Yes…" he muttered once more, reaching his hand up to touch her breast lightly before telling her to get on the bad. She leant against the headboard as he came above her, and thrust his hand under her petticoat and ripping her knickers off violently.

"S-Sire?" he heard her say gingerly, "you will be gently, won't you? I fear for the baby."

"Do you think I am a simpleton?" she shook her head quickly. "Then do not question me."

She smiled as he finally lay beside her. "On your side, Ginevra," he said quietly, and she did so, knowing that it had to be done. She felt him lift her leg, his hand gripping her thigh as he held it up with his knee. Ginevra turned her face into the pillow as he pushed slowly into her, moaning quietly as elation filled her from head to toe. He watched as her pink, pouty lips moistened upon licking them, how her hand creased the bed sheets. His lip curled as he had a nasty thought.

The Emperor licked her shoulder, placing his hand on her upper arm, then bit down harshly. Her face screwed up in pain, and she cried out, all he did was chuckle as his teeth sunk into her flesh. "Ah… please," she pleaded softly. He brushed his lips slowly over the blood protruding from the bite mark, and he felt her small hand touch the side of his face as her moans became louder.

"You love," he pushed all the way inside her, hearing her moan again, "that, don't you?" he whispered, a slight sneer at the corner of his mouth.

"Mmm… yes, yes," she sighed breathlessly, "you know I do, sire, you tease me so." And when she turned her face to his, he was rather surprised at seeing the look of heavy lust in her eyes flickering on and off each time he thrust into her.

Ginevra smiled as she felt his hand brush quickly over her stomach only to lift her leg higher so he could push further.

"Don't… _think_," he gritted his teeth, "that I will do this frequently," he said, feeling almost there.

"Of course, sire… I understand," she murmured, trying to feel his body as close as possible before she reached.

"_No_," he hissed, thrusting harder, "no, you… _don't_ understand."

"Oh… I do, sire…" she moaned loudly, her head thrown back, her throat releasing low, sensual sounds. He gripped her hip as he thrust into her, his teeth gritted as he tried to hold back a little longer, until she clenched around him unexpectedly, and he gave a low groan as he released himself inside her.

He pulled out of her quickly, leaving her in her elated state of euphoria as he pulled his trousers back on, zipping them up quickly. He stiffened upon feeling her soft hands on his bare back. "Where are you going?" she whispered tiredly. "Won't you stay a little longer?"

"Don't touch me!" he sneered as he whirled on her.

She jumped back, her hand on her stomach protectively again, and looked down at the floor once again. "I-I was just con-concerned about whether you could carry on with your plans so soon after…" and then she just seemed to fall onto the bed, hurt by his nasty aggressiveness.

He chuckled. "As if _that_ could have distracted me," he scoffed and finished buttoning up his shirt.

She looked up at him, wide-eyed. "I did not please you, sire?" All he did was give that cold laugh that sent chills up and down her spine.

Ginevra stayed quiet as he slipped his shoes on, and put his belt back on. She had loved it, enjoyed it, why did he not feel the same? She thought that it might be because she was fat and awkward to deal with. She wanted nothing more than for him to stay beside her, to hold her, to feel their baby moving, and to fall asleep in his strong arms. Then he was gone, like all those other nights, but this time it affected her worse, didn't he know how sensitive she was right then? She burst into tears then, holding herself as her body racked with sobs.

She stood carefully, placing herself in front of the mirror like she always did when he left her heartbroken; the baby was his, did that not give him any incentive to treat her as his equal? And she had shown that her loyalty was as unbreakable as diamonds. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw his tie hanging off the back of the armchair by the balcony. She touched the silky black tie gently, and picked it up carefully to press it to her stomach. "It's the closest thing to Daddy's touch that I can get, baby," she said gently. "I'm pathetic. How can I possibly look after you when I can hardly look after myself."

Ginevra held the tie up, and brushed it over her rosy cheek, still flustered from his ravages, and she whispered his name so quietly, she barely heard it herself. "I love you…."



"Jones?" she said softly, the ghost servant floated toward her. "Where is he?"

"Sire is in the study, miss," he said monotonously. "Would you like me to inform him, miss?"

"Oh, yes, Jones, thank you," she watched as the ghost floated away, until she felt the pains coming back. "I want to push!" she shouted, her hands gripping the linen sheets, and beginning to pant like they told her to. Ginevra looked at where her hand was upon feeling another hand hold it, but it was only the midwife.

"OK," the doctor called, "you can push now, miss," and Ginevra gladly did so, she wanted this horrid pain to go away, since they had told her she was not allowed to take the potion that would ease her pain.

"It hurts," she moaned, wanting him there to hold her hand instead of the midwife, but she knew, even if he did come, that he would not hold her hand. "Oh, Jones, is he coming?" she called uncomfortably as the ghost floated back in.

"Sire says that he is busy, miss."

"Oh…" she said sadly, she felt embarrassed all of a sudden, the father of her baby was too busy to see the birth of his child, but her sadness was cut short as she felt another contraction grip her, and she pushed harder, beginning to cry at how painful it was, and once more cries were added to the midst she fell back onto the white pillows. As she breathed heavily, the soothing words of the midwife went unheard, whilst the baby was cleaned up and checked over.

"It's a beautiful baby boy, miss," the nurse said gently, placing the wailing baby in its mother's arms. Ginevra looked down in awe at the tiny thing that had caused so much pain. Once they had cleaned and checked her over, the midwife promising to visit her later that day, they left.

Ginevra looked down at the baby, and pulled the strap of her dress down, and held the baby's head to guide him to her breast. And the peace was lovely; she smiled affectionately down at him as he suckled. "Hello, little one," she said softly, "it's Mummy, you know, the person you kicked when she was trying to sleep. But, no Daddy… not yet. You have me, though," she said soothingly, but there was no one to soothe her. She leant back tiredly, wishing he would come to see his child, it was not much to ask for after she carried him for 9 months.

She looked through her fringe as the door opened, having no high hopes whatsoever, but she smiled wider as he came in, tucking her hair behind her ears. "You came…."

"Is it a boy?" he questioned without even glancing at the baby.

"Yes," she replied, "he's so beautiful."

"Good," he said blandly, a girl would have been useless, and he could not keep trying for a boy, she would begin to think that he was attracted to her, although he did think her attractive. Then he simply stood there, gazing at her and the child, and remembered the process of getting her pregnant; before he was told she was pregnant, she had been happy with him coming to her every night, but now, as she stroked the baby's cheek, she seemed sad, and tired with life. He knew why, and he never meant to make her so melancholy, but he had told her from the beginning, and she should have listened.



A/N: Thanks for all your reviews, and enjoy this chapter, also I would like a lot more reviews than I am actually getting since it doesn't really give me any drive to write if I only get 4 reviews per chapter.


	4. Part IV The Baby

_**Part IV:**_

_**The Baby.**_

The Emperor stared over the sleeping Ginny, and then to the child in the baby basket beside the bed. Once Ginevra, and the child were fully stable, and didn't need to be under the watchful eyes of the Doctors, they would be placed in Ginevra's sleeping chambers, except their would be an adjoining nursery, with a proper crib, and all that a child would need. He wondered if he had made a mistake at all, in choosing the fragile-looking Ginny. It shouldn't matter anymore, it was done, and there wasn't much he could do to change it. She made a slight sound in her slumber as the Emperor moved to the balcony doors.

He remembered how she had looked earlier on, when she had first given birth, she was broken, and sad beyond any sadness he had ever seen before, and no matter how less he knew about childbirth, he _did_ know that women were supposed to look exalted, and proudly down at their newborn child. Especially her, she should have been proud of what she held in her arms; his son, her Master's flesh and blood. He felt himself starting to get angry, but for once realised that this wasn't the time, or the place to go into a rage.

The moonlight shone weakly through the balcony windows, and into the bedroom, casting an eerie sheen over his face as he turned to look at Ginny as she lay in bed; he walked back over to her, and leant closer, his hand on the headboard and the other stroking her cheek gently, yet his face showed no emotion. "You will understand, Ginevra, soon, why I cannot return your affections, why I cannot reward your loyalty the way you wish me to. Soon, you will understand…."

Her face pulled itself into a frown, and she opened her eyes slowly. "Sire…?" she said tiredly as he came into her view. "What are -? Is there something wrong with the baby?" she questioned in a worried tone, pushing herself up into sitting position.

"No, the child is in perfect health," he replied steadily.

She looked to her side at the sleeping baby, and reached her hand out to stroke his head. "What shall become of me, now, sire?" she asked reluctantly, not really wanting to know what the answer was going to be. "Now, that I have had the baby, you shan't have any use for me no longer."

He wondered how she could say such things about herself, didn't she have any dignity at all? "You will nurse the child as long as needs be, Ginevra," he replied, still in a steady and unfeeling voice, "and then, we will see what happens when the time comes." She nodded, simply accepting everything he said, if he told her the grass was purple, he thought, she would probably believe him. "Unless, of course, you can't handle looking after him…."

She turned her gaze to him, and the look she gave him was utterly blank, and devoid of emotion until she frowned, and he saw her hand clutching the sheets so hard that her knuckles had turned white. "I carried him for nine months without any problems, I'm sure I can handle this quite fine," she replied in a low voice. "Unless, of course, I can't, I wonder if you could do any better."

"I have more important things to worry about," he muttered.

"Sire?" she whispered. "Since, I have given you what you want, will you give me something I want?"

"I can't give you what you want," he said quietly. "I told you, Ginevra, in the beginning, that this wasn't going to be some silly fairytale."

"No," she said, making him listen to her for once. "I want to tell you something, and to listen to what I'm going to tell you, and I want you to answer me a question. You're so bad, that you just can't love, you're so bad, that you don't even know what love feels like, that is why you don't want to get close to me. Properly."

"Maybe, Ginevra," he hissed, "I don't find you attractive. Maybe, I think you're a pathetic, weak-minded excuse for a girl."

She continued to stare up at him, not even recoiling at his words like she would have done before. "That is your opinion, yet you chose me, didn't you? _You_ chose me out of all those other girls, who were oh so headstrong, and full of determination to get what they wanted." She sighed, and looked down at her hands, before looking up at him again, he was sneering at her.

"Don't backchat me, girl," he scowled, "otherwise you will be punished."

"You're so full of anger, I just can't understand why," she whispered. "You punish me for being loyal to you, you punish me for enjoying your touches, and you punish me for loving you. I don't understand."

"I only required a son from you, I never required your affections."

"Yes, I know," she said in a steady voice. "But, you punished me for something I never meant to do, I didn't want to love you. I grew up around the resistance, I was raised to hate everything you and your people stood for. I was meant to hate you." Ginny looked at the baby. "Here's my question, anyway. I want to know why you wanted him?"

"Because, I don't want some idiot taking over my place when I'm gone," he answered, and watched her sit on the edge of the bed and reach over to pick up the baby, he turned his back on them and stood by the balcony once more, not understanding why he wasn't just leaving, like he normally would have done.

"You know what's funny?" she said softly, smiling to herself. "Whenever you were near me, the baby used to move so fervently, like he was happy, but I didn't tell you once, because I was too afraid that you wouldn't care, I was too frightened that you'd sneer at me, and tell me to grow up," she scoffed to herself as he remained with his back to her, but he had gone rigid. "All I really ever wanted was for you to touch my stomach, to acknowledge that your son was growing inside me, that never required you to love me."

"Just shut up!" he sneered viciously. "Whatever you say is void, you've had the baby, so stop going on about things that don't matter anymore!"

Ginny stared at him with a blank look again. "Yes, you're right, they don't matter anymore…" she said quietly, and she looked back down at the baby, missing his reaction to what she just said; he was surprised by her, he was so taken aback he couldn't think of anything to say. What had gotten into her? What had happened to the pitiful Ginevra who cared what he thought? "What do you want to name him, sire?"

He frowned. "You name him," he muttered.

"OK," she said, smiling at the baby, who was just beginning to wake. "Oh, baby, did Mummy wake you up?" she said affectionately. "Oh, I'm sorry, little one." Ginny picked him up like an expert, and held him close to her chest, taking his small hand and stroking it softly with her thumb. "He's inherited your hair colour," she stated suddenly, as she smiled adoringly down at the gurgling child. She didn't look up when she felt him sit beside her on the bed, refusing to bow down to him anymore, she had resolved within in her slumber that she couldn't act like a foolish girl no longer, she had to look after the baby, that was all that mattered.

He reached out to move the blanket away from the baby's face, so he could get a better look at him. "He looks blind," he said in a curious manner, making Ginny surprised as she had never heard any other tone of his voice that wasn't vicious, or harsh.

"All babies can't see when they are first born," she replied. "He can only really see a blur at the moment." Ginny loosened the blanket, letting the child move about a bit, and get used to space. "But, he can hear our voices, he'll recognise us as his parents by our voices."

"How do you know this?" he questioned.

"My mother had seven children, you just learn rubbish like that," she muttered.

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait, people, I had a terrible amount of writers block, and I've been working on other projects, and everything.

**Diggory:** I ain't quitting.

**Alexandria:** Well, soon, he'll have the tables turned on him. So, all is good, and it'll make everyone happy who called him an arsehole. Plus, I like seeing men regret things they had a chance at having, but rejected it.

**PurpleRainbow:** I think she does want to ditch him, but can't really.

Again, I'm sorry for the shortness of it, and I've been working on it since the end of the other chapter, I just got the inspiration again for some reason. And, I know it's not that great, but, hopefully what I have in mind for the next chapter will entice you. Thanks for all your reviews, and for being very very patient with me.


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